Play-off for the title
Arsenal and Manchester United are on course for an amazing play-off to decide the Premiership.Th e two title rivals drew 2-2 on Wednesday and the historic match will go ahead if the championship race ends in a dead heat. Premier League rules state that a one-off match will separate the teams if they are equal on points and goal difference AND have both scored the same number of goals. Arsene Wenger´s men are three points behind Alex Ferguson´s United but have a game in hand. They have a superior goal difference - albeit by just one - while Fergie´s men have scored six goals less. A Premier League spokesman confirmed: " Under rule B29, a play-off at a neutral venue would decide the champions. That rule was written in when the Premier League started back in 1992." The showdown would be staged at Villa Park on May 14 or May 21 - although both dates would cause problems.
Charlie Wyett, The Sun
Gunners fight to clear Sol
Arsenal will fight to the bitter end to clear Sol Campbell. Boss Arsene Wenger last night appealed against Campbell´s red card for elbowing Manchester United star Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in Wednesday´s 2-2 draw. But the Gunners have been lifted by the news Patrick Vieira may miss only two weeks after limping off at Highbury with a knee injury. Wenger claims Campbell, who faces a four-game ban ruling him out of the FA Cup final, was treated harshly and will use tape of Nigel Miller. Linesman Miller was heard on TV telling ref Mark Halsey: " It´s definitely yellow - it´s up to you whether it´s a red."
Charlie Wyett, The Sun
Cash in on Becks
Alex Ferguson, who knows timing is everything, will be increasingly tempted to cash in his chips on David Beckham. If this £38million Real Madrid offer is anything other than vivid imagination, then Ferguson has little option but to accept. In fact, in the current economic climate when Beckham´s true valuation is nearer £20m, it would be madness not to. Though the figure mentioned would appear to be the one chink in the story´s armour, one thing did emerge from Manchester United´s 2-2 draw with Arsenal on Wednesday - apart from confirmation of the belief the title is on its way back to Old Trafford... That there is life after Beckham. While Goldenballs spent the night with his backside parked on the bench, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer proved once again that United are a more dangerous proposition with him in the side.
Steven Howard, The Sun
Don´t give Sol the elbow
Gary Mabbutt knows all about the devastating effects of a flying elbow to the face. Metal plates remain in his eye socket and cheekbone following a horrifying clash with Wimbledon´s John Fashanu in 1993. The protective mask he once needed to play football remains in the corner of his loft - an unfortunate reminder of a clash which to this day leaves him with no feeling down the right side of his face. So here is a man who may not possess overwhelming sympathy for someone who clobbers an opponent in the mush. Yet Mabbutt, a member of the FA´s video advisory panel, hopes Sol Campbell´s red card is wiped out after he was sent off for elbowing Manchester United´s Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on Wednesday.
Charlie Wyett, The Sun
Pires: Fight to the finish
Robert Pires insists Arsenal can overcome their two massive setbacks - and keep Manchester United´s hands off the coveted Premiership trophy. United, having overturned an eight-point deficit, remain three points ahead after Wednesday´s 2-2 Highbury draw. But Gunners midfielder Pires believes Patrick Vieira´s recurring knee injury and Sol Campbell´s four-match ban - after being sent off for elbowing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer - will not prove the deciding factor in the title race. Pires said: " We have two titles to defend - the Premiership and the FA Cup - and we´ll defend them to the finish. To be missing Sol and Patrick are huge blows. But if we had lost on Wednesday, the championship would be over. Now, even after a draw, we still have hope and we will fight to the end.
Charlie Wyett, The Sun
Dunn deal for United glory
David Dunn has no doubts where he wants the title to go - the same stadium he aims to leave as a villain tomorrow. The Blackburn midfielder lines up against leaders Manchester United at Old Trafford. But he wants Rovers to beat them - and Alex Ferguson´s boys to still run out Premiership winners Dunn, 23, said: " I won´t be doing them any favours when we meet but I would rather see United win it than Arsenal. That doesn´t mean we won´t be going all out for victory. But I am a northerner and would much sooner see the trophies stay up here than head down to London. I suppose in an ideal world we will beat United but they will still pip Arsenal to the title."
Phil Thomas, The Sun
Gunners accuse Gunnar
Furious Arsenal last night rounded on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as they battled to block the Sol Campbell red card which threatens to wreck their season. Gunners boss Arsene Wenger is already without skipper Patrick Vieira after the Frenchman suffered a recurrence of his knee injury in Wednesday night´s 2-2 draw with Manchester United. And Wenger has angrily accused United striker Solskjaer of feigning injury after being hit by Campbell´s arm. Campbell will miss most of Arsenal´s run-in and the FA Cup Final unless the Gunners can succeed with a desperate, last-ditch appeal which the FA confirmed they received last night. Wenger, who described the sending off as a " complete joke" said: " We will appeal. I have seen it again on the video and it was obviously accidental. Sol didn´t mean to hurt Solskjaer and his reaction did not help. A four-game ban would be very unjust."
Sports staff, Daily Mirror
Let´s finish ´em off!
Ruud van Nistelrooy last night revealed that Manchester United now believe the title tide has turned in their favour and that they only have to " finish off" the job to win the crown. United´s body language after Wednesday´s 2-2 draw at Highbury was that of a side which feels Premiership destiny is calling. And the Dutch striker explained that the Old Trafford men feel the momentum is with them and that the championship is now theirs to win. Van Nistelrooy, who claimed his 37th goal of a stunning season, said: " We´ve come back into the race from a long way behind. We´ve caught Arsenal up and gone in front of them, and now it´s up to us to finish it off." United were eight points adrift of Arsene Wenger´s Gunners a month ago but left Highbury with their three-point lead intact thanks to Ryan Giggs´ equaliser.
Martin Lipton, Daily Mirror
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